THE SOVIET WAY WITH THE CRIMINAL 215
maximum sentence. And in the present experimental
stage of Soviet economic policies such changes are not
infrequent. Another means is government amnesty
which is likewise granted at frequent intervals. There
is also a third means by which, however, only a very
limited group of political offenders may hope for com-
mutation or lightening of sentence.
If a political prisoner, or a group of political pris-
oners happen to be experts in their profession or call-
ing, their prison stay is likely to be made as light as
possible in return for their faithful services to the gov-
ernment in their special branch of knowledge or tech-
nique. Such was the case with Professor L. K. Ramzin
whose death sentence was commuted to imprisonment
because he was the greatest technological authority
along certain lines in Russia and the Soviet govern-
ment was loath to deprive itself of his services by let-
ting the death sentence stand. A number of other
scientists and experts who have been tried and con-
victed on counter revolutionary charges similarly have
had their lives spared in return for their promise to
serve the government faithfully in the future.
With the changed classification of crime, making
offences against the rising Soviet order paramount and
crimes against persons and property secondary, the
following basic procedure, corresponding to the new
classification, has been adopted for the enforcement of
the Soviet criminal statutes:
L Suppression of class enemies who are trying to